The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of plum tree which has been denominated by the varietal name, "Ebony Sun", and which is characterized as to novelty by producing a large, black plum having a deep yellow flesh, a mild taste and which is mature for harvesting at approximately September 6 through September 10 at Del Rey, Calif. The flesh of the subject plum has a quite juicy characteristic and has a bloom date of approximately one week later than the Santa Rosa Plum Tree (unpatented), or approximately March 8, at Del Rey, Calif.
For decades, the applicant has endeavored to produce new and novel varieties of fruit trees for his employer, H. P. Metzler & Sons Company of Del Rey, Calif. In this regard, the applicant is perpetually on the alert for newly found seedlings and sports among his employer's various orchards as he proceeds about discharging his various responsibilities. As a part of his regular duties, the inventor has regularly procured mixtures of various types of seeds from his employer's Ranch No. 5, which is located near Del Rey, Calif., germinated the subject seeds and thereafter evaluated the subject seedlings to determine if any new, useful and novel varieties are present. "Ebony Sun" was a newly found seedling discovered using the foregoing procedure. In the fall of 1979, a mixed lot of seeds was procured from the applicant's employer's Ranch No. 5 and was thereafter planted in the H. P. Metzler & Sons nursery, in the spring of 1980. The new seedlings bore their first fruit in 1982. At that time, "Ebony Sun" was first identified as having unique characteristics in that the date of harvest was noted to be early in September. This was somewhat unique in light of the knowledge of the applicant that the mixed seedlot which had been procured from Ranch No. 5 came from parent trees that had the settled characteristic of producing fruit mature for harvest in the month of July.